You all start out knowing magic. We are born with whirlwinds, forest fires, and comets inside us. But then we get the magic educated right out of our souls. We get it churched out, spanked out, washed out, and combed out. Told to act our age. . And you know why we were told that? Because the people doing the telling were afraid of our wildness and youth, and because the magic we knew made them ashamed and sad of what they'd allowed to wither in themselves. A Boy's Life, Robert R. McCammon

Friday, April 15, 2011

so for the past 3 days the husband and two little girls were at the grandparents' house while me and baby J did the baby thing here on the home front.

i told my husband if i could see a beach outside my window, i'd be on vacation. because that was the only thing missing.

i know having just one baby is hard. it is a full-time job. you're lucky to get two big things done in one day, usually two loads of laundry & dinner. and that's a good day.

and i embraced those two loads a day. . plus gardening, furniture re-arranging, toy organizing, small group hosting, friend visiting, YMCA-ing, napping, neighbor-chatting, and yes i even watched the Disney movie Tarzan. cause i'm cool like that.

one morning about 8-ish, baby J was still snoozing after his early morning feeding. i couldn't sleep anymore (will i ever be able to again?), so i drank coffee and read my garden magazine in bed with the windows open and the breeze fluttering through.

who does that??

it. was. awesome.

i learned it is necessary for me to be, not only a better mom & wife, but a better Jenny (which i'm learning is even more important), to get that kind of long-er break. and i hope everyone is on board with that (i should really introduce the in-laws and parentals to this blog. . maybe).

baby J and i had some good times, he and i. i adore getting to spend quiet time with him. i feel like it is so so much less than i've had with the Eldest and miss poopy shorts. i'm constantly just moving him from one apparatus to the next--bouncy seat, swing, bumpo, bed, swing, bouncy seat, floor. . rarely do i sit and just hold him for fun (not because i don't like him. . but because i'm well, busy. to put it lightly).

so the past few days he and i shared many conversations and even jokes. his smile melts my heart and even pops through in the midst of

his tears.

and guess what? he rolled over. several times. it's like he couldn't help it. he was saving it up just for when i had his full attention.

i'm a little concerned about a possible 5-month old crawler. hm.

but this evening the husband called & said he and the girls were close to home and wondered if i'd want to meet them for dinner at Waffle House.

WOULD I?? not only was i happy to see the rest of my family, but i was in the middle of eating trail mix for dinner. and i was just screamin for a patty melt with some scattered hashbrowns.

Waffle House is one of my favorite spots in the entire universe. the cooks there are so dang friendly, you feel like a million bucks. me and baby J sat in a booth for a bit before the husband and girls got there and you would've thought we were royalty.

and then, when my girls walked in, sprinkled with rain drops and looking more precious than ever, dressed in pink with fluffy bows in their hair (thanks to my dear mother-in-law who raised 3 strapping boys), the cooks jumped at the chance to make them comfortable and dry. they were donned with their own chef hats and our waitress slipped them each an extra glass of chocolate milk.

i love love Waffle House.

and i love love my family and am definitely breathing better now that they're all tucked snug in their beds. two princesses and our prince.

things that confuse me

folks that wear sunglasses in pictures

jogging strollers

valentine's day

walmart renovations

coffee-haters

miniature horses

farmville

twitter

chewing gum

twisty ties

think about it. .

"we are not built for the mountains and the dawns and aesthetic affinities, those are for moments of inspiration, that is all. we are built for the valley, for the ordinary stuff we are in, and that is where we have to prove our mettle."